Calendar of Events

The Birdsboro Sportsmen Club will host their Annual Kids Fish Rodeo 5 - 8 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday at the Birdsboro Rustic Picnic Area. Kids ages 6 - 15 may participate. There will be two age groups; 6 - 10 years and 11 - 15 years. Free refreshments will be provided. Prizes will be awarded; must register at event to be eligible.

Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center and the Berks County Astronomical Society will present “Star Watch” from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Register by calling 610-796-3699. No Fee. Meet at Nolde Forest EE Center’s McConnell Building, Route 625, two miles south of the intersection with Route 724 in Kenhorst.

VOLUNTEER TRAINING

Shady Hollow Assisted Riding, 959 E. Main St., Birdsboro, will have a volunteer training day from 1:15 - 4:15 p.m. for those interested in learning to groom, tack and assist with lessons at Shady Hollow. The organization is non-profit and offers horseback riding for those with emotional, physical and mental disabilities. The class is $25 and includes a T-shirt. Call 610-582-4050 to register.

RSVP to Nancy Kauffman at Birdsboronews@aol.com or Mayor Myers rmyers@birdsboropa.org

Sunday, May 5

OPEN HOUSE

The Friends of Nolde will have an open house at the Nolde Mansion from 1 to 4 p.m. A DVD will be shown of the forest and the Nolde family. Sugarbush Nursery will be there with their lovely bushes and native plants for sale. Any questions or for more information call 610-404-2136.

ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST

Geigertown Fire Company, 3433 Hay Creek Road, Geigertown, will be having an “All You Can Eat” breakfast buffet from 7 - 11 a.m. Adults are $7.50; Children from 6 - 12 are $3.75 and under 6 are free. For information call 610-286-6481.

SHEEP AND WOOL

Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Rd., Birdsboro, will have a Children’s Day Sheep & Wool Program from noon - 4 p.m. Admission for Children’s Day is $8.00/adult. Children 12 and under are free!

There will be fresh, baked goods available for purchase. Complimentary drinks provided by the Friends of the Daniel Boone Homestead.

Please no pets and no smoking.

This program is sponsored and run by the Friends of the Daniel Boone Homestead and has been financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development Operations Center.

ORCHID CLASS

Mutschlers’ Florist and Rare Plants, 6601 Perkiomen Ave., Birdsboro, will be holding an orchid class from 2 - 5 p.m. The class cost is $45, participants learn about the care and upkeep of orchids and get to pick and pot three of their own orchids. Call Mutschlers’ at 610-582-0662 to register.

HUNTER/JUMPER SHOW

The Good Fellowship Riding Club, 724 Monocacy Creek Rd., Birdsboro, will have a hunter/jumper horse show beginning at 8 a.m. A negative coggins is required. For more info visit our website at www.goodfellowshipridingclub.com

Thursday, May 9

ROTARY CLUB

The Birdsboro Rotary Club will be hosting its 54th annual Scholastic Achievement Banquet honoring the top ten students in this year’s graduating class at Daniel Boone. Invited guests include the students and their parents along with district and high school administrators. Rotarians will also be in attendance as will a guest speaker. The event will be held at The Reading Country Club with guests arriving at 6 p.m. Introductions and dinner begin at 6:30 followed by the guest speaker. The students will then be recognized for their high school accomplishments and post graduation plans.

SENIOR BREAKFAST AND CONCERT

Exeter Township School District senior citizens are invited to a free continental breakfast and fourth grade musical concert at the Lorane Elementary School, 699 Rittenhouse Drive. The continental breakfast will be served in the cafeteria starting at 9:15 a.m. and the concert will begin at 9:45 a.m. To reserve a seat or for more information, telephone 610-582-8608 (ext. 4000) no later than May 6.

The Schuylkill River Heritage Area will host five Pedal and Paddle event.

The Pedal and Paddles will be held monthly on Saturday’s from May through September, with the first event planned for Saturday, May 11. The others will be held on June 22, July 20, August 17 and September 7. Hours for all events are from 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lunch, bikes, kayaks and all kayaking gear will be provided. Cost of the trip is $25 per person. Must be 16 or older to participate. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required.

To register for any of the above events, call the Schuylkill River Heritage Area at 484-945-0200 or email ckott@schuylkillriver.org with your name, address and phone number. Please register by May 6 for the May 11 Pedal and Paddle. All other registrations due one week before event.

Sunday, May 12

SHEEP SHEERING

The Hopewell Furnace, 2 Mark Bird Ln Elverson, will have a sheep sheering day from noon - 4 p.m. The furnace community that created iron products also managed the households and ran the farms necessary to sustain the population. This event celebrates the self-sufficiency of an iron-making village. Discover the role domestic animals played in village life.

Saturday, May 18

READING RAILROAD

The Reading Railroad Heritage Museum will celebrate its 5th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is located at 500 South Third Street, Hamburg. The event will celebrate the “Treasures of the Reading Railroad”. Admission is free. Activities include a children’s treasure hunt, museum exhibit: “Members’ Treasures”, demonstrations, equipment tours, and more. Street train rides and food will be available. Rain date is Sunday, May 19, 2013 from noon to 5 p.m.

The Reading Railroad Heritage Museum is the educational arm of the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the history of the Reading Railroad. The Museum was opened in 2008 and houses Reading Railroad locomotives, railroad artifacts, archival materials, and museum exhibits.

MUSTER DAY

Historic Preservation Trust of Berks Co., will have Muster Day at Morlatton Village, 31 Old Philadelphia Pike, Douglassville. Lunch will be served form 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Food & drink sold by tickets only

Advance ticket orders: available by check or PayPal. Call 610-385-4762 or email info@historicpreservationtrust.org. Day of event: tickets by cash or check at the Food Ticket Tents while provisions last.

Saturday, June 1

FLEA MARKET

Berks Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, 2045 Centre Ave, Reading, will be holding our 1st Annual Flea Market 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at BDHHS. Parking is available at next door at the BCIU.

Antiques, jewelry, collectibles, household items, baked goods and much more. For more information 610-685-4520 or visit their website www.bdhhs.org.

Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2

The Hopewell Furnace, 2 Mark Bird Ln Elverson, will host “The Home Front, Hopewell 1863.” Residents of Hopewell supported the Union troops both through the production of pig iron and by supplying more domestic materials for the war effort.

Ongoing

BIKE POTTSTOWN

Bike Pottstown has been lending out its signature yellow cruisers for recreation and transportation for five years now. The Schuylkill River Heritage Area, which runs the popular free bike share program, wants to encourage more people to use the bikes. Beginning May 1, any first time user will receive a free Bike Pottstown water bottle. Anyone using the bikes 10 times between May 1 and September 30 will receive a free backpack. Bikes are available at Tri County Bicycles on 256 High St., which now has a total of 40 Bike Pottstown bikes. The Schuylkill River Heritage Area also has a limited number of bikes available at 140 College Dr. Call 484-945-0200 for information.

SINGERS

Do you like to sing? The Exeter Community Chorus wants you. We are a friendly group of singers of all abilities. Rehearsals are Mondays, 7 p.m., at Schwarzwald Lutheran Church, Jacksonwald. Please join us! For more info: call Mary Phillips, 610-779-5875, or e-mail: maryphillips@ptd.net.

RARE DOCUMENTS

The Historical Society of Berks County, 940 Centre Ave., Reading presents a display on the 250th Anniversary of the Reading Public Library consisting of rarely seen images and documents.

Exhibit thru June 1, 2013. Open Tuesday –Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information: 610-375-4375 or www.berkshistory.org.

Welcome Returning Catholics

St. Benedict’s Parish Welcoming Returning Catholics with “Landings” – for those who have not been attending Mass for months or years- but now want to come back, you’re invited.

Historical Society of Berks County honors the 150th anniversary of the Civil War with its inaugural Civil War exhibit. Exhibit continues through June 8, 2013; 940 Centre Ave., Reading. For information: 610-375-4375 or visit berkshistory.org.

Hope UMC’s Prayer Time

Hope UMC is inviting everyone to the last Friday of each month for Prayer Time 7 to 8 p.m. This is an open invitation for anyone to come and join in for a casual and relaxing time of spontaneous prayers.

A time to pray together or by ourselves for all kinds of prayers, some of which may be for ourselves, friends, family, our community, our church, our schools, and current world events.

There is no format for the prayer services as each service is lead by the Holy Spirit. The church is at 117 North Monocacy Creek Road in Douglassville. For more information, call 610-385-7141 or e-mail admin@hopechurchamity.org.

Set up like a home or garden tour, you’ll travel place to place enjoying all the special free things (refreshments, games, gifts, demos, etc) the businesses have planned for you.

Plus, each place has given you a valuable coupon. You’ll be delighted by what you find tucked away in the countryside!

Tickets are $7. $1 per ticket is donated to The Children’s Home of Reading. 717-721-1750 bestkeptsecretstour.com

PICTURE-PERFECT PROM INSTAGRAM CONTEST

Olive Garden is hosting its Picture-Perfect Prom photo-sharing contest on Instagram with a weekly grand prize of a $500 prepaid credit card. Every week of the contest, Olive Garden will also give away five restaurant e-gift cards each valued at $50. Guests can enter now through May 14 by sharing their prom-themed photos on Instagram with #OGProm.